ON THE NORTH-WESTERN TRIBES OF CANADA. 845 



He arrived at the earth unhurt, and found himself at the foot of some 

 trees. Soon he discovered a small house, the door of which was covered 

 with mats. He peeped into it, and heard a child crving that had just 

 been born. He himself was the child, and when he came to be grown 

 np he told the people of Tahi't. They had heard about him before, but 

 only then they learnt everything about the upper world. Ky'itl'a'c told 

 that those whoso heads had been cut off had their eyes between their 

 shoulders in the upper world. 



Another man, named Gyinaskila'c, did not believe in Tahi't. He said 

 to the people, ' Kill me ! If I really go to Tahi't, I shall throw down 

 fuel from heaven.' He was killed, and after a short time four pieces of 

 wood fell down from heaven. Then the people knew that Ky'itl'a'c's re- 

 port was true. 



In the second of these tales, reference is made to the Tlingit idea of 

 transmigration of souls. Former authors state that man is born 

 anew four times, and that the soul is then annihilated. I did not hear of 

 any such restriction, but it may be that some notion of this kind obtains. 

 The souls of animals also descend to the next generation, but there is no 

 transmigration of souls between man and animal, or between animals of 

 different kinds. There is particularly no transmigration of souls between 

 man and his crest. 



It is said that * our world is sharp as a knife.' Although there is a 

 mythical side to the idea, it seems to be said principally in a moral aspect. 

 The saying continues, ' We must take care that we do not deviate from 

 the straight course, for else we would fall off and die.' My informant 

 explained this, saying, ' Once a boy did not believe that our world is sharp. 

 He danced abont and behaved foolishly. Then he ran a splinter of wood 

 into his foot and died. Now he knew that our world is as sharp as a 

 knife.' 



I have not heard that Yetl, the great hero of their myths, is worshipped, 

 but they believe that he will return. It is, however, not stated what he 

 will do on his return, whether he will continue his adventures or benefit 

 mankind. It must be borne in mind that Tetl, in all his exploits, by 

 "which he benefited man, did so against his will and intent. 



The Tlingit pray to the sun to give them food and fair weather, but 

 it does not seem that he occupies in any way a prominent place among 

 their deities. They also pray and offer to the mountains and to the 

 thunder, to the killer (Delphinus orca) and to the seals. Their religion 

 is a nature worship. When praying they blow up eagle-down as an 

 offering, and give to every being what they think it likes best. The 

 mountains are asked for fair wind. When they hear a peal of thunder, 

 they shake themselves and jump high up, crying, ' Take all my sickness 

 from me 1 ' 



The killer is believed to upset canoes and take the crew with him. 

 Him and the seal they ask for food. They believe in fabulous seal-men. 

 When one of these is seen, they pour a bucket of fresh water into the 

 sea. 



I have not discovered any belief distinguishing the religion of the 

 Eaida from that of the Tlingit. 



Tsivishian. — While the religion of the Tlingit and Haida seems to be 

 a nature worship, founded on the general idea of the animation of natural 

 objects, no object obtaining a prominent place, that of the Tsimshian is 

 a pure worship of Heaven (Leqa'). Heaven is the great deity who has a 



